Reducing combustion engine exhaust emissions is a continual object of research and development, driven both by awareness of environmental effects and increased government regulation. Some of the most effective and cost-efficient emissions controls involve the use of downstream chemical catalysts that further oxygenate incompletely combusted compounds. Sometimes exhaust is directed sequentially through multiple catalyst beds. It is generally understood that higher catalyst temperatures provide more effective emissions control. Much exhaust catalysis development has been focused on developing catalytic converters for automotive applications, in which engine speed varies substantially with vehicle speed and gear selection.
In several other applications, such as in powering fixed-frequency electrical generators, engine speed is held as constant as possible during use, even while generator and engine loads fluctuate. Some engine-generator sets are designed for installation on-board moving vehicles, either on land or in water.
Marine generators are subjected to specific regulations, both for emissions and for safety concerns. For example, exposed engine surface temperatures (including exhaust system surface temperatures) must be kept low to avoid increased risk of fire hazard. Seawater is injected into many marine engine exhaust flows so as to cool exiting exhaust gases, and seawater is also frequently circulated through exhaust system components so as to maintain low surface temperatures.
Further improvements in exhaust emissions controls for constant and variable speed engine applications are desired, particularly improvements suitable for marine use.